Instable Minds
by Apple The Worm
Summary: They all grew up, matured, to put it easily. Their bodies grew stronger, their minds stabilized. Or rather, instabilized. And you can expect anything from an instable mind, right? SasuSaku
1. Chapter 1

**So here it is! A nice, fat author's no—er, the story. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Me no own. Kishi own.**

Instable Minds

Prologue

_Drip_.

The Konoha Elders sat watching the Hime in front of them angrily.

_Droop_.

The Konohagakure Hokage gazed out of the window, avoiding the fiery glances cast at her.

_Drip droop_.

A blonde, spiky-haired man ran towards the village gates gaily, his cloak whirling behind him despite the heavy downpour.

_Splish_.

The kunoichi's thin brows knitted together, as her eyes ran over the scroll held tightly in her hand.

_Splash_.

A hooded figure wrapped his cloak tighter around him, looking up at the massive metalwork before him.

-xXx-

"Tsunade! This behavior is unacceptable, the village will become a laughingstock! Isn't there any other approach toward an _S-rank Missing Ninja_?" roared the fuming elder.

"What do you want me to do, _hang_ him?" Tsunade muttered through gritted teeth.

Damn they were getting on her nerves…The idiots don't know what they're talking about, and what was she _supposed_ to do?!

Besides, Naruto would _kill_ her if she did anything to the Uchiha. Very like herself, it was very best not to tamper with him when he was angry. Damn kid.

-xXx-

"He's…What…See you!" Were the mixed words that jumbled out of the hyperactive blonde's mouth, as he ran out of the building.

Tsunade sighed exasperatedly, avoiding the accusative glances from the elders. Yeah, yeah, she made a big mistake in telling him, bla bla bla. Tch, the old prunes.

_Naruto ran out of the building, and into the storming rain. He took a few steps, before jerking his head upwards and turning around. He grabbed the branch that hung over him, and ran up the tree. He reached the rooftop easily, heading for the small cabin on top. The blonde reached for the slippery handle, and tugged. He reached blindly for the small switch on the wall, and with a small __**flick**__, the room filled with bright color._

_He was inside the lounge, something where they held all of the Hokage's mail, and messages from other villages. There was a small couch, and a long desk, filling the circular shape of the room. The ceiling was lined with multiple metal bars, on which at least a dozen birds perched._

_The shelves were lined with scrolls, writing supplies and ironically, bird food._

_He reached for a scroll, and scribbled a few simple words:_

_**He's back.**_

_**Rokudaime.**_

-xXx-

Sakura was angry. _Very_ angry.

She was angry with him for coming back.

She was angry with Naruto for still considering him as a friend.

She was angry with Tsunade for letting him in.

But most of all, she was angry with herself for finding a familiar flutter of butterflies in her stomach after hearing his name.

She decided to bluntly consider it nervousness. Whatever it was, he wouldn't find the lovesick kunoichi waiting for him. They didn't call her 'Ice queen' for nothin'.

A small smirk curled her lips. She could imagine the exact same one on his. Damn, arrogant, bastard of an Uchiha.

She walked under the downpour, not bothering to check the route. She knew it better than anybody. Only because she cared.

Life had taught her a lot of things. One of them was, of course, that Kakashi-sensei is always late. And another was that pouring rain and hair die do _not_ mix. The latter was forgotten, quite obviously.

"_Shit_..." She stared at the dark water running down her face and hands. Her strangely sticky hair was held loosely around her shoulders. At least before the downpour.

The villages stared at her form with something of light horror. She didn't blame them for it. She was dripping wet in water and hair die, her sleek hair covering the most of her face, hanging over it eerily. The faint glow coming from her, silhouetted in the rain, didn't save her position much either.

She'll have to stay at a hotel. Hopefully without any curious, little children. Been there, done that. Dry up, die her hair again…heck no. It was just too damn troublesome…

She stopped randomly at a hotel entrance. Tugging at the handle of the glass, massive doors she noticed the sleek, creamy carpeting. Her smirk grew as she imagined what it would become, after her little 'visit'. But, then again, Daichi-san had always been nice to her.

-xXx-

The man wrapped his cloak tighter around him.

He breathed in, seeming to take in the fresh air.

He knew it would end up to this. Someday, he would have to come back. And now…

He was home.

**(A/N You like? Will be continued as a chaptered story, hopefully.**

**--Apple)**


	2. Chapter 1:Welcome

**Here we go, another chapter! Dedicated to chibamishiro, my first reviewer (:**

**Gomen for any mistakes.** **By the way, I hope you got the 'Rokudaime' thing: Tsunade is still Hokage, but with Naruto and his dreams…**

Instable Minds

Chapter 1: Welcome

"…Continuing, you have harmed several ANBU squadrons, experimented on children, and repeatedly injured team…Kakashi." The Hime continued, through slightly gritted teeth.

Sasuke listened impassively, his mind wondering elsewhere. Like he needed to hear the Hokage drawl on and on about what he did and didn't do. As if he didn't know.

Naruto kept considerately quiet, interrupting the Hokage with quiet mutterings.

"…And so, after close consideration your sentence is decided." Tsunade finished.

The Jounins and two friends perked up, listening closer. The only thing needed was a drum roll.

"Uchiha Sasuke, your sentence is as follows: You will be stripped of all ninja status, and put on propabation until the council sees fit." She ended, with a somewhat dramatic ring.

"Godaime-sama…surely…with S-rank criminal status…shouldn't greater punishment be in terms?" questioned somebody from the far end of the table. Sasuke looked up, eyes narrowed.

The speaker had been a man in ANBU uniform, around thirty years of age. Sasuke gave him an icy glare, which the man returned with ease.

Tsunade, to everybody's surprised gaze, glared at the man herself.

"Eiji, you, of all people should know the village's position after the Battle…"

Ah…the Great Battle. Of course, the young Uchiha had herd of it. The Great Battle was where alliances were betrayed, and loyalties proven. The clash between the Cloud and the Leaf. Hebi had decided it was best not to take sides; after all, they had spilled enough blood. Not that they weren't used to it.

"Dismissed. Eiji, I want that report on my desk by evening."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." With a nod, the Jounins left the room, as Tsunade slumped in her chair.

"What a damn day…what are you two doing, standing around? Out!" She snapped, seeing that Naruto and Sasuke were still inside.

"Ba-chan…" Naruto said with a sneaky grin, ignoring the glare cast at him. "The sake is in your drawer." It took Tsunade only a few seconds to take in what he said, but the 12th century Japanese vase hit the abruptly slammed door.

-xXx-

The two friends sat at Ichiraku's, Naruto yapping on endlessly. Sasuke remained as impassive as always, though glancing at Naruto out of the corner of his eye.

The dobe let his hair grow long, almost up to his shoulders. He wore a regular Jounin fitting, and a strange cloak that hung to his feet. He was rumored to be one of the greatest ninja of their day, thought he was hardly recognizable as said at the moment.

"…So, teme, there'll be this big party, at the Hyuga compound!" Naruto blabbered on.

"And everybody will be there, even Sakura-chan!" He finished, grinning at him.

"Where is she?" Sasuke asked absentmindedly. The question was automatic; he didn't really care that much about it.

"Oh, she's on this big mission, and she'll come back tomorrow just in time! Why?" He replied, looking at Sasuke with true curiosity.

"Nothing." He said, poking at his ramen without much appetite.

"Yeah…whatever…so.." He started his thread of something highly presumable for speech again.

"This is going to be a long day…" Sasuke murmured to his plate, and sighed inwardly. He _was_ nearly crushed to death by Naruto, Tsunade, and anybody who cared last night, so he _should_ find this moment quite peaceful. But, then again, Sasuke was never the one to take things on the optimistic side.

-xXx-

The key turned in the lock with a small _click_, letting sunlight into the dusty room. She wrinkled her nose for a moment, taking in the damp, dusty smell of the place.

'_Kami…and I __**live**__ here?' _Came her faint thoughts. Faint, because she had her mind on other things, particularly the small scroll in her hand. Tsunade's slightly cramped handwriting flew across it:

_Sakura,_

_I am sure you are aware of the business lunch at the Hyuga mansion. Hall 302, section a…or something._

_Anyway, you'll have your precious Neji-kun…or Eiji-kun at hand to show you through._

_Please, wear a dress. DO NOT LET INO SUGGEST ANYTHING, UNLESS YOU WANT TO END UP LOOKING LIKE A…VERY UNLADYLIKE. Let Naruto do that, the idiot has a very suspiciously good taste._

_Until then, sayonara._

_Tsunade, Fifth Hokage of the village Hidden in the Leaf._

Sakura snorted. '_Unladylike? Look at the size of your…vaguely know part of female anatomy, which you pile out into a very small shirt, just for the pleasure of seeing Jiraya-san drool. Literally._'

And then her eyes caught the word 'dress'.

Sakura sighed inwardly. That was really asking for too much now. Pfft, a dress.

She opened the cabinet door, as her feet wandered into the kitchen. The kunoichi felt around for a bottle. Her eyes narrowed in irritation, as she found none. Sakura withdrew her hand, and it dropped helplessly to he side. She crossed the carpeted room, clapping her hands as she went. The lights immediately perked up, filling the room with slightly dim light. She wasn't rich, but she could afford a comfortable apartment that…ah…fitted her needs.

She fingered the staircase, an old habit, and walked off, slowly kicking off her shoes as she went. She turned to the left, and opened the thin door. She needed to get ready for this 'business lunch'.

She rinsed her hair throughoutly, letting the warm water soak it completely. She reached for a short, small towel, specially for this purpose.

She walked out of the bathroom, her hair still slightly damp, her body draped in a soft towel. Sakura opened her closet, before her eyes caught the dress on her bed. It was a simple, black hangover dress, with matching shoes. The back was netted, and slightly to exposed for her liking. And then she realized it wasn't hers.

The first thought was Ino. But then again, she didn't have the keys to her house. After a moment, she noticed a small, neatly folded note on top of the ensemble.

_Sakura-chan, I know this is not your type of thing, just wear it. Please. I want Teme to see what my Sakura-chan has grown into._

_Uzumaki Naruto, the guy with Tsunade standing over his shoulder, making him write formally…Ow._

Sakura let out a low chuckle. '_Of course…Naruto had the keys to my house, as well as I have the keys to his._'

Usually, he would pick out something exposing, his desires almost childish. But this time…it almost was to her liking. Of course she would wear it, especially since she knows the amounts he spends on them. '_Hn, I wonder if he left a price tag…ah…how thoughtful._'

The price tag had been removed. Typical. Gentlemanly, but typical.

She picked the dress up, the fabric almost seeping through her fingers.

"SAKURA-CHAN! Where the hell are you?!" Came an earsplitting scream from the garden. Well, more of a yell, but considering the volume, it was best described as a scream.

She decided it was best not to threaten her, and her neighbors with immense hearing-loss, and strode over to the window.

"Naruto, _shut it_! I'll be down in a minute." Came her apprehensive response.

And then many things happened. Firstly, Naruto seemed to think about the facial expressions appropriate for this situation: Surprise, horror, amusement, nervousness, and last but not least, a horror-struck face with a slight blush on his cheeks. And then she realized something.

"SAKURA-CHAN! _GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE_!"

She was still draped in the towel. Oh fuck.

-xXx-

Sasuke walked down the crowded streets of Konoha, kicking pebbles. He was annoyed. With ANBU. He constantly sensed their presumably well-hidden presence, and that irked him. Nevertheless, he walked to the Hyuga mansion, to this big 'party'.

He didn't care much for the party really, Naruto insisted on dragging him along, and then the idiot left to get 'Sakura-chan'.

He didn't mind it that much. He didn't mind being alone. He didn't mind the stares that people gave him, full of surprise, loath…almost. He almost wished the loud-mouthed dobe were here…

He stopped abruptly. He looked up. '_Ah…the manor._'

He eyed it, scrunching his eyes slightly, unwillingly comparing it to his.

The Hyuga manor had more grandeur, a feeling of...royalty. Whereas his house had more of a...homey feeling, decorated with small trinkets and statuets.

He made his way up the marble steps, wondering why he agreed to this in the first place.

He remembered ordering sake...and the dobe refilling it...and again...

"Damn dobe..." he muttered under his breath.

He reached the door, and put his hand on the knob, before he heard a squeky voice behind him.

"W-welcome to the Hyuga Household!" Piped up a boy of around fifteen, his eyes pearly as all of the Hyugas.

And then his expression changed. His eyes widened slightly in fear, as he stammered:

"Sa-sa-sa-Uchiha!" He sputtered, his eyes fearful.

Sasuke continued his way, not bothering to look around. He paused, his hand fingering the doorknob. He almost felt himself hold his breath. Then, a small smirk entwined his lips. '_Ha...Uchihas do not hesitate.._' He turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open, without a creak.

And he suddenly felt his breath catch.

Predictably.

**A/N You like? Cliffhangee:D**

**Anyways, can you please help me out with chapter names? I suck:P**

**Thankies for reading,**

**--Apple**


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